View source for Sedrick Ellis

{{Short description|American football player (born 1985)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name        = Sedrick Ellis
| image       = Sedrick Ellis.JPG
| alt         = Sedrick Ellis
| caption     = Ellis in the 2012 NFL season
| number      = 98
| position    = [[Defensive tackle]]
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1985|7|9|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Los Angeles, California]], U.S.
| death_date  =
| death_place = 
| height_ft   = 6
| height_in   = 1
| weight_lbs  = 307
| high_school = [[Chino High School|Chino (CA)]]
| college     = [[USC Trojans football|USC]] (2003–2007)
| draftyear   = 2008
| draftround  = 1
| draftpick   = 7
| pastteams   = * [[New Orleans Saints]] ({{NFL Year|2008}}–{{NFL Year|2012}})
* [[Chicago Bears]] ({{NFL Year|2013}})*
| highlights  = * [[Super Bowl champion]] ([[Super Bowl XLIV|XLIV]])
* [[PFWA All-Rookie Team]] ([[PFWA All-Rookie Team#2008|2008]])
* [[Unanimous All-American]] ([[2007 College Football All-America Team|2007]])
* [[Pac-12 Conference football individual awards|Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year]] (2007)
* 2× [[Morris Trophy]] (2006, 2007)
* 2× First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference football teams|All-Pac-10]] ([[2006 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team|2006]], [[2007 All-Pacific-10 Conference football team|2007]])
| statlabel1  = [[Tackle (football move)|Total tackles]]
| statvalue1  = 173
| statlabel2  = [[Quarterback sack|Sacks]]
| statvalue2  = 12.5
| statlabel3  = [[Fumble|Forced fumbles]]
| statvalue3  = 2
| statlabel4  = [[Fumble|Fumble recoveries]]
| statvalue4  = 1
| pfr         = ElliSe99 
}}
'''Sedrick Dwayne Ellis''' (born July 9, 1985) is an American former professional [[American football|football]] player who was a [[defensive tackle]] in the [[National Football League]] (NFL).  He played [[college football]] for the [[University of Southern California]] (USC), and earned [[unanimous All-American]] honors.  He was selected by the [[New Orleans Saints]] seventh overall in the [[2008 NFL draft]].

==Early life==
Ellis was born in [[Chino, California]].  Ellis prepped at [[Chino High School]]. He was involved with teams that went to back to back [[California Interscholastic Federation|CIF]] title games 2000, 2001.  Ellis, along with teammate [[Chris McFoy]], who was on these Chino teams, played in the NFL.  While in high school Ellis played defensive tackle and fullback in goal line situations.

==College career==
Ellis attended the [[University of Southern California]], where he played for coach [[Pete Carroll]]'s [[USC Trojans football]] team from 2003 to 2007.  As an underclassman, he learned under All-American [[Mike Patterson (American football)|Mike Patterson]]<ref name=ST092607>Bud Withers, [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/budwithers/2003903196_withers26.html USC's Ellis will be dominating presence], ''Seattle Times'', September 26, 2007.</ref>  Ellis finished his [[Redshirt (college sports)|redshirt]] junior season at USC during the 2006 season.  He was first team coaches and Rivals.com All-[[Pac-10]] conference, first-team ''College Football News'' All-American and won the [[Morris Trophy]]. Ellis was a major force in USC's victory over then-No. 3 Michigan in the [[2007 Rose Bowl]], recording a season-high seven tackles, a sack and a pass deflection. Following the performance, Ellis considered making the jump to the NFL in the [[2007 NFL draft]] but decided to come back for his senior season and would go pro in 2008; part of his decision to stay was tied to classmate and highly touted defensive lineman [[Lawrence Jackson]].

[[Bench press]]ing more than 500 pounds, he was the strongest player on the Trojans roster and was named one of the "[[Pac-10]]'s Top 10 Players" by ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' going into the 2007 season.<ref name=SI082107>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080226075922/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0708/pac10.topplayers/content.7.html Pac-10's Top 10 Players: 4 Sedrick Ellis, DT, Sr. | USC], ''SI.com'', Accessed August 21, 2007.</ref>  At the end of the 2007 season, Ellis was voted the Pacific-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Year by league coaches, and was selected to the all-conference first team.<ref name=PAC10120307>[http://www.pac-10.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120307aal.html Pac-10 Football Awards and All-Conference Team Announced] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090212025224/http://www.pac-10.org/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120307aal.html |date=2009-02-12 }}, Pacific 10 Conference, December 3, 2007.</ref>

Ellis was recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American, having received first-team honors from the Associated Press, [[American Football Coaches Association]], [[Football Writers Association of America]], [[Walter Camp Football Foundation]] and ''The Sporting News'', [[SI.com]], [[Rivals.com]].<ref name=APaa2007>Ralph D. Russo, [http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j7OjRg1Ku-bBg4B4qv4A3NzxILZgD8TFFJTG0 McFadden, Tebow Lead AP All-America Team], Associated Press, December 11, 2007. {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214163944/http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j7OjRg1Ku-bBg4B4qv4A3NzxILZgD8TFFJTG0 |date=December 14, 2007 }}</ref><ref name=SIaa2007>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071213030240/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/ncaa/12/10/all.americas/index.html SI.com's All-Americas], SI.com, December 11, 2007.</ref>
[[File:091507-USCNeb-SedrickEllis.jpg|175px|thumbnail|right|Ellis on the sidelines while playing for [[USC Trojans football|Southern California]]]]

Although Ellis was the strongest person on the 2007 Trojans and only the third player under Pete Carroll's Trojan tenure to lift over {{convert|500|lb|abbr=on}}, he had only started lifting weights since he was 15 (10 years as of 2010) because his father would not allow him to lift at a younger age.<ref name=OCR081807>Mark Saxon, [http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/aug/18/bc-fbc-uscoc-8212-sports-xtop-740-words-uscs-a-a/ Ellis a monster in the middle of USC defense] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130205211140/http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/aug/18/bc-fbc-uscoc-8212-sports-xtop-740-words-uscs-a-a/ |date=2013-02-05 }}, ''The Orange County Register'', August 18, 2007.</ref>  In addition to benching a team-best {{convert|510|lb|abbr=on}}, at the 2007 spring pro day Ellis hoisted 225&nbsp;lb 42 times.<ref name=ST092607 />  Because of his strength, the Trojans had to purchase a set of 200-pound [[dumbbell]]s for their weight room just to accommodate him (the previous high were 160s); Ellis would do sets of eight reps on the incline bench with the 200s.<ref name=ESPN123107>Bruce Feldman, [https://www.espn.com/college-football/bowls07/columns/story?columnist=feldman_bruce&id=3174418 Trojans' defense respects but doesn't fear Illini attack], ''ESPN the Magazine'', December 31, 2007.</ref>

===College statistics===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Season
! rowspan="2"| Team
! colspan="2"| Games
! colspan="5"| Tackles
! colspan="7"| Defense
|-
! {{abbr|GP|Games played}} !! {{abbr|GS|Games started}} !! {{abbr|Cmb|Combined tackles}} !! {{abbr|Solo|Solo tackles}} !! {{abbr|Ast|Assisted tackles}} !! {{abbr|TfL|Tackles for loss}} !! {{abbr|Sck|Quarterback sacks}} !! {{abbr|PD|Passes deflected}} !! {{abbr|Int|Interceptions}} !! {{abbr|FF|Forced fumbles}} !! {{abbr|FR|Fumbles recovered}} !! {{abbr|QBH|Quarterback hurries}} !! {{abbr|Blk|Blocked field goals}} !! {{abbr|TD|Touchdowns}}
|-
! [[2003 NCAA Division I-A football season|2003]] !! [[2003 USC Trojans football team|USC]]
| 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[2004 NCAA Division I-A football season|2004]] !! [[2004 USC Trojans football team|USC]]
| 11 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[2005 NCAA Division I-A football season|2005]] !! [[2005 USC Trojans football team|USC]]
| 13 || 13 || 50 || 28 || 22 || 8 || 4.5 || 3 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 6 || 0 || 0
|-
! [[2006 NCAA Division I-A football season|2006]] !! [[2006 USC Trojans football team|USC]]
| 10 || 10 || 34 || 17 || 17 || 8 || 4.5 || 3 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 7 || 1 || 0
|-
! [[2007 NCAA Division I-A football season|2007]] !! [[2007 USC Trojans football team|USC]]
| 14 || 13 || 58 || 29 || 29 || 12.5 || 8.5 || 7 || 0 || 1 || 2 || 9 || 0 || 0
|-
! colspan="2"| Career !! 48 !! 36 !! 144 !! 74 !! 70 !! 28.5 !! 17.5 !! 13 !! 0 !! 2 !! 5 !! 24 !! 1 !! 0
|}

==Professional career==
{{NFL predraft
|    height ft = 6
|    height in = 0 1/2
|       weight = 309
|         dash = 5.05
|    ten split = 1.69
| twenty split = 2.91
|      shuttle = 4.73
|   cone drill = 7.78
|     vertical = 30.0
|     broad ft = 8
|     broad in = 9
|        bench = 36
|    wonderlic = 
|     arm span = 33
|    hand span = 9
|         note = All values from [[NFL Combine]]/[[USC Trojans football|USC]] [[Pro Day]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/sedrick-ellis/3200454c-4c64-1039-60b5-24560e4ee8c8 |title=Sedrick Ellis Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=April 23, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=15666&DraftYear=2008 |title=Sedrick Ellis College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=April 23, 2025}}</ref>
}}

''Bench Press'': {{convert|440|lb|abbr=on}}; ''Squat'': {{convert|560|lb|abbr=on}}<ref name="Kansas City Star.com">[http://www.kansascity.com/813/story/581146.html Kansas City Star.com]</ref>

===New Orleans Saints===
Ellis was selected by the [[New Orleans Saints]] in the first round with the seventh overall pick in the [[2008 NFL draft]]. The Saints original draft spot was 10th, but they traded up with the [[New England Patriots]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=2008 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2008/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-11 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> The teams swapped first round picks, the Saints gave up their third round selection (78th) and the Pats gave back their fifth round selection (164th).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://blog.nola.com/saintsbeat/2008/04/saints_trade_up_draft_ellis.html|title=Saints trade up, draft Ellis|author=Triplett, Mike|date=April 26, 2008|access-date=April 7, 2016|work=The Times-Piscayune Greater New Orleans|archive-date=April 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160419002514/http://blog.nola.com/saintsbeat/2008/04/saints_trade_up_draft_ellis.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Patriots used the tenth pick to select linebacker [[Jerod Mayo]].

Initially, New Orleans attempted to trade up for [[LSU]] DT [[Glenn Dorsey]], whom they had valued higher than Ellis. They had purportedly offered a deal to the [[Kansas City Chiefs]] which included their first- and second-round picks and their first-round pick in the [[2009 NFL draft]]<ref>[http://www.2theadvocate.com/columnists/mickles/18308139.html?index=14&c=y 2theadvocate.com | Sheldon Mickles | Mickles: Orgeron reunited with Ellis&nbsp;— Baton Rouge, LA<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> but the Chiefs decided to draft Dorsey instead.

In New Orleans, Ellis was reunited with Saints defensive line coach [[Ed Orgeron]], who was his assistant coach at USC for his freshman year and responsible for recruiting him.  Extended negotiations over contract details, not uncommon with high draft picks, led the defensive tackle to miss six days and 12 practices of training camp until a contract was agreed to on July 29.  His initial five-year contract is worth a maximum value of $49 million, with $19.5 million in guarantees; however portions are based on hard-to-reach incentives that may bring the realized value of the agreement lower.<ref name=TP072908>Mike Triplett, [http://blog.nola.com/saintsbeat/2008/07/ellis_agrees_to_deal.html Saints, Ellis agree to five-year deal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090422002235/http://blog.nola.com/saintsbeat/2008/07/ellis_agrees_to_deal.html |date=2009-04-22 }}, ''The Times-Picayune'', July 29, 2008, Accessed July 31, 2008.</ref>

====2008 season====
Ellis started and played 13 regular season games in his rookie season for the Saints, who finished 8-8. Sedrick recorded 30 tackles (20 solo) and 4 sacks.

====2009 season====
Ellis started and played 10 regular season games in his second season with the Saints, who finished 13-3 and went on to win [[Super Bowl XLIV]]. He recorded 34 tackles (26 solo) and 2 sacks in the regular season. Ellis started at Defensive Tackle for the Saints in the Super Bowl, recording three tackles.

====2010 season====
Ellis started and played in all 16 regular season games for the Saints for the first time in his NFL career, recording 44 tackles (30 solo), which marked a career high. Ellis also led all Saints defenders with 6 sacks on the year. New Orleans finished 11-5, good for 2nd place in the [[NFC South]]. Ellis started at defensive tackle in the Saints' Wild Card playoff loss to the [[Seattle Seahawks]], recording 3 total tackles.

====2011 season====
Ellis started all but one game during the Saints 13-3 run in 2011 that resulted in another [[NFC South]] title. He had 32 tackles (including playoffs) and four passes defended.

====2012 season====
Ellis started and played in all 16 regular season games, recording 36 tackles (23 solo).

===Chicago Bears===
On June 11, 2013, Ellis signed a one-year contract with the [[Chicago Bears]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/chicago/nfl/story/_/id/9368168/source-sedrick-ellis-chicago-bears-agree-one-year-deal|title=Bears add DT Sedrick Ellis|work=[[ESPN]]|date=June 11, 2013|access-date=June 11, 2013}}</ref> a team that had a top five defense in yards and point-per-game allowed the year prior.

On July 25, 2013, Ellis did not report to training camp and advised the Bears of his intention to retire from the NFL.<ref>{{cite web|agency=Associated Press|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/news/bears-sign-anderson-ellis-retiring-201952710--nfl.html|title=Bears sign Anderson with Ellis retiring|publisher=[[Yahoo! Sports]]|date=2013-07-25|access-date=2013-07-25|archive-date=2013-07-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130731212253/http://sports.yahoo.com/news/bears-sign-anderson-ellis-retiring-201952710--nfl.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==NFL career statistics==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team
! rowspan="2"| {{abbr|GP|Games played}}
! colspan="4"| Tackles
! colspan="3"| Fumbles
! colspan="6"| Interceptions
|-
! {{abbr|Cmb|Combined tackles}} !! {{abbr|Solo|Solo tackles}} !! {{abbr|Ast|Assisted tackles}} !! {{abbr|Sck|Sacks}} !! {{abbr|FF|Forced fumbles}} !! {{abbr|FR|Fumble recoveries}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Fumble return yards}} !! {{abbr|Int|Interceptions}} !! {{abbr|Yds|Interception return yards}} !! {{abbr|Avg|Average interception return}} !! {{abbr|Lng|Longest interception return}} !! {{abbr|TD|Interceptions returned for touchdown}} !! {{abbr|PD|Passes defensed}}
|-
! [[2008 NFL season|2008]] || [[2008 New Orleans Saints season|NO]]
| 13 || 30 || 20 || 10 || 4.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 5
|-
! [[2009 NFL season|2009]] || [[2009 New Orleans Saints season|NO]]
| 10 || 34 || 26 || 8 || 2.0 || 0 || 1 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 2
|-
! [[2010 NFL season|2010]] || [[2010 New Orleans Saints season|NO]]
| 16 || 44 || 30 || 14 || 6.0 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 2
|-
! [[2011 NFL season|2011]] || [[2011 New Orleans Saints season|NO]]
| 15 || 29 || 9 || 20 || 0.5 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 4
|-
! [[2012 NFL season|2012]] || [[2012 New Orleans Saints season|NO]]
| 16 || 36 || 13 || 23 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 1
|-
! colspan="2"| Career<ref name=ESPN>{{cite web|title=Sedrick Ellis Stats|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/11242/sedrick-ellis|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|access-date=14 April 2014}}</ref> || 70 || 173 || 98 || 75 || 12.5 || 2 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0.0 || 0 || 0 || 14
|}

==Personal life==

{{Empty section|date=June 2015}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
*[http://neworleanssaints.com/Team/Roster/People/Sedrick%20Ellis.aspx New Orleans Saints bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304074754/http://www.neworleanssaints.com/Team/Roster/People/Sedrick%20Ellis.aspx |date=2010-03-04 }}
*[http://usctrojans.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/ellis_sedrick00.html USC Trojans bio]

{{Pac-12 Player of the Year}}
{{Morris Trophy}}
{{2003 USC Trojans football navbox}}
{{2004 USC Trojans football navbox}}
{{2007 NCAA Division I FBS College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{2008 NFL Draft}}
{{SaintsFirstPick}}
{{Saints2008DraftPicks}}
{{Super Bowl XLIV}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ellis, Sedrick}}
[[Category:1985 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:All-American college football players]]
[[Category:American football defensive tackles]]
[[Category:Chicago Bears players]]
[[Category:New Orleans Saints players]]
[[Category:People from Chino, California]]
[[Category:Chino High School alumni]]
[[Category:USC Trojans football players]]
[[Category:Players of American football from San Bernardino County, California]]